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In what can be termed as a major success for the security forces in Maoist-infested Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra, notorious Maoist Nangsu Turmeti alias Giridhar has surrendered before the police on Saturday, June 22.
Giridhar who has been one of the key faces of the Maoist insurgency in Gadchiroli and adjoining regions for over two decades has laid down arms along with his wife, Sangeeta Usendi alias Lalita in the presence of Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis and other officials of the police.
The surrendered couple were carrying a cumulative bounty of Rs 41 lakh on their heads as announced by the central and the state government. They will be rehabilitated under the surrender and rehabilitation policy of the government.
Giridhar joined the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist) in the year 1996 and rose through the ranks in the subsequent years to emerge as one of the notorious faces of the Maoist insurgency in Gadchiroli and Abujhmaad region, the alleged headquarters of the Maoist.
He has a total of 179 cases pending against him which include 86 cases stemming out of encounters with security forces at separate places in the Maoist strongholds of Chhattisgarh- Maharashtra bordering regions. Before laying down arms Giridhar was carrying a bounty of Rs 25 Lakh on his head and was reported to be in-charge of a significant formation of Maoists.
His wife Sangeeta has also been named in as many as 17 cases and was carrying a bounty of Rs 16 lakh on her head. Sangeeta reportedly joined the Maoist outfit in the year 2002 and was currently commanding the Bhamragarh Area Committee as a Divisional Committee Member of the outlawed Maoist group.
Taking to the X, Deputy Chief Minister, Fadnavis who earlier welcomed the Maoist couple into the mainstream said “Giridhar and Lalita, deeply involved in Naxalism (Maoism) until now, today surrendered themselves and were integrated into the mainstream. I presented a copy of our Indian Constitution to them to strengthen their belief in our Constitution”.
Further the Deputy CM also interacted with the personnel of C-60 commandos, a specialized counter-insurgency unit of the police and lauded their efforts in containing the Maoist insurgency in the region. The former CM of Maharashtra also interacted with the surrender cadres of the Maoist outfit and asserted that “We have to oppose Maoists because they do not believe in our Constitution, nor democracy or the democratic systems.
He further emphasized that the respect of the tribal brothers and sisters has grown under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi and the same will inspire the misguided Maoists.
Surge in surrender
It is noteworthy that situated in the most eastern tip of Maharashtra, the district of Gadchiroli has been a long held bastion of the Maoist movement in the State for decades.
The region is covered by dense forests and unexplored terrain providing a safe passage to Maoists to Abujhmaad or the Maad region, the strongest citadel of the outlaws which lies on the other side of the State border in Chhattisgarh.
However, persistent counter-insurgency operations by the security forces in the hinterlands in recent years has weakened the overall hold of the outlaws in the district prompting surrender of scores of cadres of the outlawed outfit.
As of now a total of 635 Maoists have laid down arms and surrendered before the police in the Maoist infested district this include surrender of as many as 17 hardcore cadres of the banned outfit who is in an open declaration of war with the Republic of Bharat.
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